1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to wireless systems, and more specifically, to a method and apparatus for allowing a personal computer (PC) to directly or indirectly control one or more devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional remote control systems include a remote control unit, which is typically a portable, hand-held unit, and a device to be controlled. The manufacturer of the device to be controlled provides the remote control unit for the convenience of the user. Accordingly, the device to be controlled and the remote control unit are configured to communicate with each other in a predetermined and prespecified manner. This manner conforms to a protocol that governs the communication channel and the specific modulation or encoding scheme applied to the data that is communicated between the device to be controlled and the remote control unit.
With the proliferation of electronic devices, and in particular electronic devices that have remote control units corresponding thereto, it is quite common to find an average consumer having five to ten remote control units that each control different devices around the home. For example, it is common for a consumer to have a first remote control unit for controlling the television, a second remote control unit for controlling the video-cassette recorder (VCR), a third remote control unit for controlling the cable set-top box, a fourth remote control unit for controlling a stereo system, a fifth remote control unit for controlling a compact disc (CD) player, and possibly further remote control units for selectively controlling individual devices in the stereo system. A sixth remote control unit may be needed to control the air conditioning unit in the home, and yet a separate remote control unit may be needed to control the heating system in the home.
Moreover, because of the different communication channels and encoding schemes employed by the devices, a remote control device that is associated with a first device is limited in its ability to communicate with other devices. In this regard, it may be desirable to have a single remote control that controls a plurality of electronic devices. Moreover, it may be desirable to have a single command that in essence represents a plurality of commands to different devices to create a preferred environment for a particular user. For example, a user may desire to enter a room, and with a single push of a button on a remote control unit, have the following events occur: 1) room temperature adjusted to a particular preprogrammed temperature; 2) the television to turn on and tune to a pre-programmed station at a preset volume level; 3) the stereo to turn on and have the CD player play a pre-programmed selection of songs in a predetermined order and volume. Unfortunately, conventional devices and their associated remote control units are unable to provide such a function.
Based on the foregoing, there remains a need for a system and method for allowing a personal computer (PC) to control one or more devices.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a wireless interface controller that enables a personal computer to directly control a plurality of different devices that operate with different communication codes.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a wireless interface controller that enables a personal computer to directly control a plurality of different devices without employing the remote control units corresponding to these devices.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a wireless interface controller that enables a user to program a personal computer with a single button or command that, when activated, causes a particular device to perform more than one function.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a wireless interface controller that enables a user to program a personal computer with a single button or command that, when activated, sets an environment by causing two or more devices to each perform at least one function. In other words, the present invention allows a user to pre-program a single command that represents a plurality of different commands that can be directed at one or more different devices. In this way, the user can create a desired environment or a set of conditions with the touch of a single button.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a wireless interface controller that enables a user to control one or more devices from a distant location via a phone or Internet link.
The objects of the present invention may be achieved by providing a system having one or more remote control units for transmitting commands, one or more devices to be controlled, and a computer. The computer is coupled to an input device, and has a memory, a receiver which receives codes from the remote control units, and a knowledge base for storing the codes received from the remote control units and command identifiers provided from the input device. The knowledge base associates each command identifier with a particular code. The computer also includes a transmitter which transmits codes to the device to be controlled based on selected command identifiers. During configuration, the computer executes a program that prompts the user to enter a command identifier and code to be associated with that command identifier. The received code and its associated command identifier are stored in the knowledge base. During operation, a user enters a command identifier, and the program searches the knowledge base for the command identifier so as to locate the code corresponding to the command identifier. The program then transmits the code to the device to be controlled. Thus, the present invention provides to the user a convenient and time-saving feature, as it obviates the need to locate a particular remote control unit to control a corresponding device. In an alternative embodiment, repeaters are provided to receive and re-transmit the codes from the computer so as to extend the effective range of the computer and to accommodate for the line-of-sight restrictions of conventional IR transmission.
In yet a further alternative embodiment, the computer is provided with an Internet card so that the user can use a distant computer to establish an Internet connection with the computer and to transmit the desired command identifier from the distant computer to cause the computer to control the device.
In yet another alternative embodiment, the computer is provided with a phone card so that the user can use a distant telephone to establish a phone link with the computer and to transmit the desired command identifier from the distant telephone to cause the computer to control the device.